Distracting Ginny
by Tata93
Summary: A missing moment from HBP that explores Harry and Ginny's new, and fragile, relationship.


**Distracting Ginny, by Tata93**

_Only the previous day, Hermione had told him off for distracting Ginny when she ought to be working hard for her examinations. _– HBP, page 501.

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon in late autumn; the end of term was nearing and exams and assignments were occupying most of the Hogwarts students' time. The N.E.W.T and O.W.L students were feeling the pressure most, and Harry knew that the nervous fifth-years were preparing for the commencing of their exams on Wednesday.

He slipped into the library casually, scanning the room for Ginny. She'd left for the confines of the library at breakfast and Harry suspected that even now, nearing two o'clock, she hadn't yet broken from her studies. Finally he spotted her over in the corner, head down, scribbling notes into the margin of her Charms book furiously. Her cheeks were red and she was concentrating so hard that her tongue was sticking out at the corner of her mouth.

Harry paused, hesitating. He was only a few feet away but the distance between he and Ginny seemed further. And then Ginny sighed loudly and crossed a whole paragraph out, and, within that short space of time, Harry had made up his mind.

He crept up behind her and clasped his hands over her eyes. "Guess who?" he whispered, grinning.

"Oh, I wouldn't have a clue," said Ginny. She put her quill down in mock-frustration and Harry felt her twitching lips spread into a smile. "Would you be so kind to give me a little hint?"

Harry bent his head down to the side of her face. "I've got black hair," he said quietly, failing to keep the laughter out of his voice, "a great scar on my forehead, and I fancy you like mad."

Ginny giggled as he kissed her cheek. "Hi, Harry. Come to help me with my Charms revision?"

Harry rested his arm on the side of her chair and shifted his weight to his right leg. "Maybe," he said, breathing lightly into her ear. "But I can think of a whole lot of things I'd rather be doing."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Such as -?" she said slowly, looking right at him.

Harry widened his grin and said in a serious voice, "Oh, I don't know. Giving Mrs. Norris a bath certainly appeals to me, but since Filch still suspects me of shutting that mangy mothball into a suit of armour, I think my chances of that are sadly quite slim."

"Oh, get out of here," scolded Ginny, but she, too, was laughing.

Madam Pince came skulking around the aisle nearest to them and brought a bony finger to her lips in warning.

Ginny waited until the librarian had safely rounded the corner before again turning to Harry. "Well, come on, look like you're doing something productive!"

"Is your definition of 'productive' the same as mine?"

Ginny glared at him. "Come _on_, Harry. I've been studying all day and –"

"- And that is exactly why you need a break!" Harry said, tugging at her arm. "Ginny, you deserve one, admit it. We'll go for a walk, be back in an hour and you can get right back to it. Promise."

She rolled her eyes. "Harry."

He kissed her in answer and she didn't resist. Harry broke away only when he thought he might be in danger of losing his air supply. "Well?" he said breathlessly, a smug smile on his lips. "What do you think?"

"That we shouldn't being doing this in a library?"

"Besides that."

"Hmm," Ginny mused. "I think that not only do I deserve a break, but that you are required to help me with my Charms."

"Where's that in the boyfriend contract?"

"Section IV, Part C," said Ginny, without missing a beat.

Harry grinned. "You're good."

"A girl has to know her legal rights."

"Is that a general statement or one only to be observed when the said girl is going out with Harry Potter?"

Ginny hit him playfully on the arm. "Oh! You know what you are, Harry? You're a - a _doof_."

Harry shook his head good-naturedly. "A doof? I've been called a lot of things, but a doof?"

"A doof," Ginny agreed. Her eyes flashed cheekily. "What's more, Harry Potter, you are such a wonderful doof that you deserve some kind of fitting title," she said smugly.

Harry leant in and kissed her briefly on the cheek before she battered him away. "Okay, okay. Oh, I dunno. The Doof Who Lived?"

"Mr. Doof!" cried Ginny triumphantly.

"Oh, so I'm Mr. Doof, am I?" teased Harry. "So, young Weasley, what do you think that makes you? Mrs. Doof?"

The mood changed in a single moment. Ginny bit her lip and blushed furiously, and Harry, realising what he'd just said, instantly regretted saying anything at all. _You idiot, Potter_, he thought, mentally cursing himself.

"Look, Ginny, I'm sorry, I didn't mean –" he said hurriedly, but Ginny found her voice and cut in.

"Harry," she said, reddening still. "I don't –"

Harry himself was blushing. "Maybe I'd better leave…"

He turned to go but Ginny caught his arm in a grip that Grawp would be proud of.

"No, stay," she said firmly. She finally looked up at him and she wasn't the only one. Half the people in the library were now staring at them, and some quite unabashedly, too. Ginny noticed this and, with a sigh, shut the Charms book, gathered up her notes and slid out of her chair, doing this all without loosening her grip on Harry's sleeve.

"Let's just go," she said quietly, still holding his sleeve and guiding him roughly out the library door.

Propelled by Ginny, Harry half-stumbled into the corridor. He expected her to take them back to the Gryffindor common room but instead, Ginny marched him into the nearest empty classroom three doors down and slammed the door shut.

She sat down atop of one of the front row desks and folded her arms. "What," she said in a low tone, "was that all about?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply but Ginny went on, more gently and earnestly this time. "Harry, I don't care. Really, I don't. It doesn't matter."

Harry, still standing, looked at the ground. He was unassured. "I shouldn't have said that," he mumbled. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Ginny at once. "I've already forgotten."

Harry looked up and sighed. "I'm an idiot."

Ginny looked plain amused. "While I would normally happily agree, I think this time I couldn't possibly. Come here," she said, reaching out and patting the desk beside her.

Harry reluctantly shuffled over and sat obediently on top of the desk. He felt it strain slightly under his weight and thought briefly of the time when it wouldn't have.

Ginny sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that afternoon. That sigh, however, was followed by a shy smile. "So, are you still wanting to go for the walk?"

"Only if you are, Mrs. Doof."


End file.
